Plastic venetian blind tape



Oct. 16, 1951 T. MARTIN PLASTIC VENETIAN BLIND TAPE Filed March l, 1948 .m N /0 WM .M9 o M f Y B 2 2 f x y Patented Oct. 16, i1951 PLASTIC VENETIAN BLIND TAPE Thomas Martin, Riverside, Calif., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Hunter-Douglas Corporation, Riverside, Calif., a corporation of Dela- Application March 1, 1948, Serial No. 12,446

7 Claims. l

My invention relates to Venetian blinds employing vertical tapes formed of a reinforced organic plastic material and relates particularly to reinforcing such tapes.

In United States Patent No. 2,405,579, issued August 13, 1946, to Joseph L. Hunter for Venetian Blind Tape, there is disclosed the use of a flexible plastic material, for example, a vinyl plastic, that is reinforced by threads and which is used to form the vertical tapes for the ladders of Venetian blinds. The reinforcements prevent the plastic material from stretching under load and the plastic material in turn presents a smooth surface that collects little dust and which may be readily cleaned by a wiping or other cleaning process. Also the plastic prevents dust and moisture from collecting on the threads inasmuch as the threads are preferably embedded in the plastic. The result is a superior type of Venetian blind tape or ladder that may be permanently colored according to the decorative pattern desired. Reinforcing threads have heretofore been molded or otherwise `processed directly into the finished tapes. been placed between two layers of plastic material and heat and pressure have been applied to bond the layers and embed the threads. Also the threads may be stretched across a mold and a fluid plastic may be inserted in the moldv to vthereafter solidify and thus embed the threads. These and other processes, however, sometimes tend to deflect the threads so that they are not straight and parallel in the finished product but are crooked and distorted and thus cannot correctly perform their reinforcing function. Fure ther, the threads have had slack or loose stretch in them, thus allowing some elongation of the plastic even under light loads.

I have discovered that the threads maybe effectively maintained straight and parallel by first bonding them in a parallel array by the application of a thin film of plastic to the threads. Additionally, by stretching the threads before applying the plastic, the bonding `action prevents thelaments from raveling or untwisting, thus eliminating slack. This thread retaining film may subsequently be used as a -core for a finished full-sized Venetian blind tape or ladder. Accordingly the thread film may be first manufactured and stored until required for the fabrication of a Venetian blind tape or a complete ladder. Thereafter any desired thickness of plastic material may be applied to the film 'and the film will hold the threads substantially For example, the threads have l- 2 Y parallel and generally straight during this subsequent processing.

It is therefore a general object of my invention to provide an improved method of making plastic tapes that are reinforced with threads.

Another object is to provide for preliminarily aligning reinforcing threads so that they Amay be subsequently accurately processed in a finished plastic tape.

Another object is to provide a plastic film wherein tension threads are maintained in spaced alignment with each other by a plastic webbing so that thereafter the film may be used as a core for the application of additional plastic material.

Another object is to provide' an improved Venetian blind tape of plastic material wherein reinforcing threads are maintained in parallel straight array by a film forming the core of the finished tape. Y

A further object of my invention is to provide a thin plastic film that bonds threads thereto in any desired orientation with respect to each other. in which film may be used as a core for a simple plastic tape or other plastic strip as desired. Y

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a study of the following specifications, read in connection with'the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation view of an illustrative and somewhat schematic type of apparatus that may be employed for forming the thread bonding film of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a section through a portion of a thread bonding film that embodies my invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through a portion of a finished plastic tape embodying my thread bonding film as a core;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form ofa finished Venetian blind tape having integrally formed thereon cross bar stubs of full Width;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a second modified form of my invention wherein a finished Venetian blind tape may have cross bar stubs of partial width which may be staggered; and

Fig. 6 is an elevation View of a fragmentary portion of a Venetian blind ladder wherein a pair of tapes embodying my invention may be joined by cross bars.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that a plurality of threads I0 may be spaced with respect to each other and held in any preselected arrangement, for example, parallel, by means of 3 webbings II extending between them. The Webbings II may be formed of a plastic material and the webbings and threads together form a film I2.

The nlm I2 may be used as a core for a plastic strip or tape I3, as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 3. The film I2 accordingly forms a core upon which layers of plastic material I3 and I 3b may be Vapplied by any Vsuitable process such as calendering, adhering by means of any adhesive or plastic solvent, molding or any other desird process. Y Y

It will be obvious to those skilled in the plastic art that various types of organic plastics could be employed. Accordingly, I do ntllinitmys'elf to any particular plastic but instead include within the scope of my invention any plastic that may have suitable flexibility for use with Vene-j tian blinds. For example, polyamide resins could be employed as either the plastic material Afi" the fllm I2 or as the plastic layers I3a and I3b. AAlso 'chlorinated rubber, rodi'ed isomeri'zd rubber, various types of natural and synthetic 'ublfrs, ethyl cellulose, cellulose actate, cellulose acetate bty'te and ycellulose nitrate vcould b employed, particularly when `compoiir'lded vto be eitilnly 4flexible. I prefer, however, at p'st t'iploy the 'vinyl base sis including polyvinyl acetals, polyvinyl acetate, Vcopolyvinyl chlo'ide'acetate, polyvinyl chloride copolymer and polyvinyl 'hue tyl. l,Il'izave foiled, for rarlplegthat vinyl h-loride is an excellent material. Accordingly 4when the Word plastic as used in Vthis 'pliatioh yis employed. lt means anjoigafue' plastic including not only V the carbon chemistry compounds but v'a-rs 'suitable silicon compounds as Well.

kOne illustrative apparatus' fr nuifac'tuilg the thread bonding lln of 'Figs 2 is lillustiatdiifi l. V The 'central elei'ellt of this apparatus may be a rotatable drum I4, about which may be passed a plurality of the threads In which may `origlx'ialliy be inthe form yorsp'o'ols I5. The spools I5 may be mounted 'on a shaft 22 and a friction drag '23ma'y be 'secured t'o theshaft to assure t'ei'lL sionin'gof the threads. The drum 4I 4 nia'y bepm# vided with a shallow peripheral trough I4 'lfdee sired, having a width and depth substantially that desired for the iinished film I2. .'Furthr, the trough maybe provided with grooves for re= ceivingl each thread in an individual groove. The threads 'III 'may pass upwardly over the 'dlrlm vfrom their spools I5 and v'an 'upper surfac'e'of the drum I4 may pa's's beneath and yclosely to the out; let of a stationary hopper I6 'containing 'a suitable plastic in liquid 'form The .plastic will flow over the surface ofthe drum I4 including the'trough I4a and will thoroughly wet, impregnato r-and "'covcrfthe threads `II). A 's'queeg'e-e roller `Il ffrlay beeinployed 'if "desired to limit the amount of liquid plastic that is carried fol\val'd'hy"fthe'druln so that the lms 'I2 will -be of uniform thickness.

A heater 'i8 may be .'provi'ded posterior to the h'O'lDper lIii `with respect to the direction of 'rota'- tion of the drum and will act as a solidifying' 'or `poly'merizing agent `for the liquid plastic. The solidified lm with the threads bonded therein may be passed under an idler pulley I9 to be coiled upon-a-storageleel 21. The threads HI may be maintained under tension by thefriction drag A2'3 'so that they will be stra-ight and parallel and so that all slack is taken-up.

The liquid plastic may be in any sui-tableform and, for example, may be a polymelized plastic in solution or could be a monomer mixed with any suitable plastioizer. While various types of plastic material may be used as noted, I have found that a vinyl chloride dissolved in suitable ketones or esters may be employed, the heater I8 acting to vaporze the solvent material to leave the film interconnecting the threads. I do not, however, limit myself to any particular type of plastic and instead comprehend the use of any suitable liquid plastic that may be readily solidied by heating or any other suitable solidifying or polymerizing process.

Illustrated in Fig. 4 is a modified form of a flnished Venetian blind tape employing my central l'l I2 as a core. A strip 22 may employ a core I2 and may have bonded on either side thereof plastic sheets 23. One side of the strip 22 may be provided with transverse ridges 24 preferably extending entirely across the Width of the strip. It will be noted that these ridges 24 have a broad base and have a rounded or lleted cross section that terminates in a flat narrow top 24a. These ridges 24 are intended for use as cross web stubs or anchors for the vcross webs 'of a completed Venetian blind ladder such as that illustrated `ln Fig. 6. There it will be noted that the ridges or stubs 24 may be provided on two opposit'ely facing `strips 22 and that a cross web 25 may be secured to the outer ends of opposite stubs `24 to form 'a typical laddei` structure. l

The strip material of Fig. 4 may be formd In various fashions and, for example, the Ytop and bottom layers 23 maybe heat welded to the `thread iilr'n I 2. Thereafter the ridges `or stubs -24 may b heat welded to one 'side of the 'stript Thisheat= ing may be done by radiant t'yp of heaters, by hot metal applying -tools or molds lor the heat may be formed by 'a high frequency dielectric field or any other suitable heating mechanism. This heat welding'is particularly Veffective on vinyl materials inasmuch as they readily fuse'togther at approximately 200 F. The 'stubs24 as w'll as the layers 23 could, however, if clesired,be molded to the thread nlm I 2 bya mold contoured toglve a final shape desired such as that illustrated.

Illustrated in Fig. 5 is a. second modified form of Venetian blind tape designated generally by the numeral 26. This vstrip may have cross bar stubs 21 formed thereon but unlike those `of Fig. 4 the ridges or stubs extend only about part way across. A length of strip y2li accordingly ywould contain an alternating series of stubs -21 that zare staggered so that fractional width cross webs could be employed as -in the conventional type of Venetian blinds employing a r`fabric type 'of ladders. Thus the stubs 21 may be of less than Vhalf width -so as to permit a raising cordto pass between the inner ends of the two stubs ace cordance with the conventional practice. This is in contrast to the tape of Fig. 4 `wherein the cross webs extend the entire lwidth -of the tapes and accordingly the `raising cords may be Ydis- .posed out of the line'of the bars or the cross bars -may be centrally apertured to receive a. raising cord. The tape of Fig. 5 may be for-med -in the same manner as `the tape of Fig. 4.

While I have described my invention with re'- spect to particular shapes that are presently .pre ferred, `I do not limit myself Vtothese orother shapes "or structures. While the thread lms may-be of any desired width containing any xse.'- lectedfnumber of threads,-I have found that a nlm 11/2 -inches wide containing -12 evenly spaced threads has proved `quite satisfactory. The nlm may be several thousands of 'an inch thick; Vfor example,- 3 to 10 thousandths of 'an inch, and the -rlnished tape (Fig. 3) lmay be '31E' of an inch thick. The 4threads may be of any suitable Afabric inaterial such as cotton, linen, synthetic material such as rayon or spun glass. In general, I prefer to have the thickness of the specific webbing II extending between adjacent threads approximately half the diameter of the threads I0. However, they may be reduced below this thickness, the only requirement being that there be sufficient strength to maintain the threads IUI in the selected parallel array while being processed by the application of additional plastic to one or both sides.

Also, it will be obvious that the thickness of the webbing I I may be greatly in excess of the thickness of the threads I0 without departing from the teaching of the invention or the advantages obtained by the invention. Also, While I have described additional plastic material as being applied to both sides of the film I2, it will be appreciated that the added plastic may be disposed on one side only. In this event, however, care should be taken that the threads I0 are thoroughly embedded Within the plastic so that they will be moisture-resistant as well as dust-resistant. Pretensioning is not necessary in the sense that the threads are elastically stretched, but rather, tensioning suicient to remove slack may be provided to insure that all of the threads will be straight and substantially under uniform tautness.

Also the initial film could be provided utilizing a fabric tape similarly impregnated or coated While the fabric tape is under longitudinal tension. Fabrics that are commercially available at present. however, result in a material that is too stii for satisfactory Venetian blind operations and for this reason I have illustrated the invention as applied to a plurality of individual parallel threads I0. The plastic webs II in the lm I2 serve the same function as cross threads in Weaving insofar as maintaining the alignment of the reinforcing threads I0. Further, it will be appreciated that the thin film I2 may be formed by heat Welding a thin plastic film to aligned threads I0.

In view of the foregoing, it will be obvious that the disclosure is merely illustrative and not definitive or limiting of my invention and that I comprehend as coming within the true spirit and scope of the invention all such modifications as may be made by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A tape for a Venetian blind ladder comprising a strip of iiaccid material having transversely-extending spaced stubs extending from one side thereof to which a cross bar is adapted to be attached.

2. A tape for a Venetian blind ladder comprising a strip of fiaccid resinous material having integrally-formed, transversely-extending, spaced stubs extending from one side thereof to which cross bars are adapted to'be attached.

3. A tape for a Venetian blind ladder as dened in claim 2 made of a plasticized vinyl resin.

4. A tape for a Venetian blind ladder comprising a core including a single layer of relatively widely spaced, substantially parallel threads, a film of plastic material having said threads embedded in one surface thereof and binding the threads into a unitary structure, the lm of plastic material having a thickness not substantially greater than the diameter of the threads, a layer of plastic material bonded to the side of said film in which the spaced threads are embedded, said layer of plastic material being at least of sufficient thickness to extend outwardly beyond the threads and having a planar outer surface, and transversely-extending cross-bar stubs on the outer planar surface of said layer of plastic material.

5. A tape for a Venetian blind ladder as set forth in claim 4 in which a second layer of plastic material is secured to the other side of said lm.

6. A tape for a Venetian blind ladder as set forth in claim 1 in which the cross-bar stubs are of less than half the width of the tape and have an alternating staggered arrangement.

7. A tape for a Venetian blind ladder as set forth in claim 1 in which the cross-bar stubs extend transversely across the tape approximately the full width thereof.

THOMAS MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 271,493 McClelland Jan. 30, 1883 1,297,643 Boyer Mar. 18, 1919 1,509,365 Midgley Sept. 23, 1924 1,518,513 Howard Dec. 9, 1924 1,610,373 Hardman Dec.'14, 1926 1,610,776 Hardman Dec. 14, 1926 1,905,392 Freydberg Apr. 25, 1933 2,107,067 Alderfer Feb. 1, 1938 2,344,457 Christ Mar. 14, 1944 2,405,579 Hunter Aug. 13, 1946 2,407,548 Goldman Sept. 10, 1946 2,512,762 Benson et al. June 27, 1950 2,535,926 Hunter et al Dec. 26, 1950 

